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There are nine games on MLK day and FanDuel and DraftKings decided to split the slate into a couple smaller ones. We’ll be using all nine games here.
Point Guard
John Wall is still battling a finger injury and there were some concerns after a miserable game against the Celtics. Wall dropped 48 fantasy points against the Sixers and he makes for a fine tournament play facing off with the Blazers tonight.
Kyrie Irving, the Golden State Assassin, travels to Cali to take on the Warriors. Kyrie has annihilated Stephen Curry in their matchups and he’s worth a look in tournaments as well.
Elfrid Payton’s price jumped considerably after two strong performances and he may be worth the price. If Evan Fournier sits (which he should) Payton is a great play at just $6,200.
The best play of the day is Sergio Rodriguez and it’s not very close. While he’s lost the starting job to T.J. McConnell, he’s now hurt and Rodriguez should enter the starting lineup. He’s only $3,200 and he’s essentially a must-play.
Shooting Guard
Devin Booker is on fire. Sure, the matchup against the Jazz is awful, but Booker is scorching currently. He’s hit well over 50 percent from the field over his last three and has scored over 40 fantasy points in three straight games. GPP play only.
Assuming Evan Fournier sits, Jodie Meeks is a great play against the Nuggets. He’s just $4,000 and is a safe play today if he ends up starting.
Aside from Devin Booker, C.J. McCollum is the hottest SG in the league right now. He’s shot over 50 percent in four of his last six games and he’s shooting more than 20 shots per game. McCollum has scored below 40 fantasy points once in that span.
Tyreke Evans is a safe play, but he’s not much more than that. Evans’ minutes continue to rise but with Anthony Davis healthy, his ceiling is capped. He’s a fine cash option.
Small Forward
Kevin Durant is $9,900 and he’ll be one of the chalkier plays at that position. He dropped 65 fantasy points in their last meeting and he’ll look to dominate once again at home against the Cavs.
LeBron James may be the better cash option for the slate, but he’s $200 more. The two are essentially interchangeable and you couldn’t go wrong either way. It would be a surprise to see either score less than 50 fantasy points.
Carmelo Anthony’s price is getting a bit crazy at $8,000 but if Kristaps Porzingis is out again, he’s a tough guy to fade in cash games. The Knicks were blown out by the Raptors in their last game, but look for Melo and the guys to bounce back today.
Power Forward
There seem to be plenty of no-brainer picks today and Enes Kanter is included. He’s fun to watch when he’s dominating and he’s in his element lately. Steven Adams may have a concussion and will likely miss today’s game, even if Kanter doesn’t start, play him.
Draymond Green was pathetic in the last matchup with the Cavs, but I don’t see that happening again. Play Green in some tournaments because he can notch a triple-double at any moment.
Paul Millsap has been rolling lately and he’s been doing it while shooting less than 15 shots per game which is pretty incredible. He’s a fine cash play but his GPP upside is limited by his low shot total. If any injuries emerge within the Hawks starting five, Millsap would be much more appealing.
If you’re seeking 5x value and nothing else, there are few safer than Joel Embiid. He’s hit 5x value in seven of his last 8. He rarely gets more than 40-45 fantasy points because of the minutes limit, but he’s arguably the safest PF play out there.
Centers
Nikola Vucevic has entered the starting lineup and he’s been on fire. He gets a favorable matchup against the Nuggets and if Fournier sits, he’s arguably the top center option at $6,600. It’s tough to fade Vucevic…
Rudy Gobert is the double-digit rebounding king with over 25 games with double digit boards. Lock in a couple blocks and a few points and you’re already around 30 fantasy points. He’s very safe, especially against the Suns. His price jumped to $7,100 but he’s been way too cheap all season. Don’t fade Gobert.
Marcin Gortat gets a favorable matchup against the Blazers, and is worth considering in tournaments. He’s $6,200 and is basically worth playing just to be contrarian. He’s been bad over his last four games and his price is too high. However, he has a good matchup and he’ll break out of the funk sooner than later. Limit your exposure, but he’s sneaky.
Nikola Jokic is the greatest DFS player on the planet when he sees minutes. Not actually, but the guys stuffs the stat sheet each and every game he avoids foul trouble and the Magic are awful against centers. He’s nearly $8,000 and he carries some heavy risk, but you won’t want to miss a 60-pointer.
Player News
Aaron Gordon had a quiet night, finishing with 13 points (6-of-13 FGs, 0-of-1 FTs), five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one three-pointer in the Nuggets’ loss to the Thunder on Tuesday.
Gordon was mostly held in check on the offensive end, finishing with his fewest three-point makes of the series, the second-lowest scoring output, and no production from the free throw line. While Gordon has made several big plays down the stretch of games this postseason, he was notably quiet in Game 5, making his line feel even less spectacular. He’s performed well in Denver’s two home games this series and will need to empty the tank on Thursday in Game 6 to help the Nuggets keep their season alive.
Jamal Murray scored 28 points (10-of-27 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), four rebounds, three assists, one block and three three-pointers in 42 minutes for the Nuggets in their loss to the Thunder on Tuesday.
Murray registered his third 20-plus-point game of the series on Tuesday, but did so on rather inefficient shooting. A monster 13-point third quarter is where much of his production came from, which gave Denver a decent lead going into the final quarter. However, Murray cooled off down the stretch, scoring five of Denver’s 19 points in the fourth quarter. Both he and the rest of the Nuggets will want a better close to Thursday’s Game 6 if they hope to extend their season.
Nikola Jokic was dominant in the Nuggets’ loss to the Thunder on Tuesday, posting 44 points (17-of-25 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and 5 three-pointers.
Jokic bounced back in a big way on Tuesday after a few inefficient shooting performances in Games 2, 3 and 4. The three-time MVP had his fingerprints all over the game on the offensive side, regaining his shooting touch and being particularly dangerous from beyond the arc. He made some contributions as a passer, but still hasn’t found a way to dominate in this series as a facilitator, not yet tallying more than six assists in any game. Even with the Nuggets receiving the inevitable bounce-back game for Jokic, it wasn’t enough for them to take control of the series. Denver will need everything it can get from Jokic in Thursday’s Game 6 if it wants to extend the season.
Luguentz Dort came up big for the Thunder in their win over the Nuggets on Tuesday, finishing with 12 points (4-of-8 FGs), three rebounds, one assist and four three-pointers.
Well-known for his prowess on the defensive end, Dort’s offensive eruption in the fourth quarter helped the Thunder climb from out of a big hole to secure a come-from-behind win and move Oklahoma City one win closer to a trip to the conference finals. His three triples in the final frame were huge, but a late assist on a Jalen Williams three might have been the play that delivered the Thunder the victory. Dort’s double-digit outing marked his third of the series, and Oklahoma City would welcome another as it tries to close out the series on Thursday in Game 6.
Jalen Williams was impressive for the Thunder on Tuesday, posting 18 points (5-of-14 FGs, 6-8 FTs), nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers in the win over the Nuggets.
Williams landed in double figures in scoring for the fifth time in as many games this series. And while he continued to struggle with shooting efficiency, he remained impactful as a facilitator. The fourth-year wing also delivered one of the biggest shots of Game 5 as he sank a corner three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to give Oklahoma City a lead it wouldn’t surrender the rest of the way. Williams will continue to be relied upon when the Thunder head to Denver for a chance to close out the Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 31 points (12-of-23 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), six rebounds, seven assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in the Thunder’s win over the Nuggets on Tuesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander did it all for the Thunder on Tuesday, taking on the roles of scorer and facilitator while remaining active on the defensive end along the way. Most importantly, he was key in the final handful of blows that Oklahoma City dealt Denver down the stretch in what ended up being a dominant 34-19 fourth quarter for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, delivered his third 30-point game of the series and will have a chance on Thursday to produce his fourth as the Thunder try to eliminate the Nuggets.